Eleanor Francis Upham was born on September 14, 1924 in Lynn (the city of sin), Massachusetts. On October 8, 1949 she married Italino Pietrantonio and together raised eight children.

Her favorite poem? I know she loved "Annabel Lee" and we all remember her reciting the "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier" and "Miss Fogarty's Cake" but I think her favorite poem of all was "Somebody's Mother."Who could forget the old tattered poem book she would pull out at night when we lost the electricity. Or the scary song she would teach us about "walkin down the cellar."

Her one dream was to travel, which she did starting in 1980. First to Europe - London, Paris and Rome. Then on to visit Spain, Portugal, the Isle of Capri, Switzerland, Italy and last of all Russia.

She loved to paint (I know someone still has a few of her paintings) and even started writing a book. However her greatest pride were her children...an optometrist, an engineer, a special forces soldier, a loving and dedicated wife and mother, a free-spirit, a deputy sheriff; and although she never saw it happen, an accountant!

I will always remember our first trip to Quebec (on my IRS refund). "Do you know where to go? No, you do not know where to go, so I tell you, you go left. Then do you know where to go? No, you do not know where to go, so I tell you, you go down two lights. Then do you know where to go? No, you do not know where to go, so I tell you..." And Jim offering Dad spaghetti and mushrooms...little did he know he was going to get Franco-American Spaghetti with a can of sliced mushrooms thrown in!

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